US5538475A - Composite shaft having integrally molded functional feature and helical grooves - Google Patents

Composite shaft having integrally molded functional feature and helical grooves Download PDF

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Publication number
US5538475A
US5538475A US08/000,081 US8193A US5538475A US 5538475 A US5538475 A US 5538475A US 8193 A US8193 A US 8193A US 5538475 A US5538475 A US 5538475A
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Prior art keywords
shaft
functional
hardened
moldable material
shaft assembly
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Expired - Lifetime
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US08/000,081
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English (en)
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Timothy R. Jaskowiak
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Xerox Corp
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Xerox Corp
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Priority claimed from US07/633,562 external-priority patent/US5439416A/en
Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION reassignment XEROX CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: JASKOWIAK, TIMOTHY R.
Priority to US08/000,081 priority Critical patent/US5538475A/en
Application filed by Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Priority to MX9307646A priority patent/MX9307646A/es
Priority to BR9400010A priority patent/BR9400010A/pt
Priority to DE69409841T priority patent/DE69409841T2/de
Priority to EP94300015A priority patent/EP0606140B1/de
Priority to JP6000034A priority patent/JPH06238700A/ja
Publication of US5538475A publication Critical patent/US5538475A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Assigned to BANK ONE, NA, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT reassignment BANK ONE, NA, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: XEROX CORPORATION
Assigned to JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT reassignment JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Assignors: XEROX CORPORATION
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Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION reassignment XEROX CORPORATION RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/65—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
    • B29C45/14336—Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article
    • B29C45/14344—Moulding in or through a hole in the article, e.g. outsert moulding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
    • B29C45/14598—Coating tubular articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/68—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks
    • B29C70/74—Moulding material on a relatively small portion of the preformed part, e.g. outsert moulding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
    • B29C70/68—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks
    • B29C70/74—Moulding material on a relatively small portion of the preformed part, e.g. outsert moulding
    • B29C70/745—Filling cavities in the preformed part
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C3/00—Shafts; Axles; Cranks; Eccentrics
    • F16C3/02—Shafts; Axles
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C3/00—Shafts; Axles; Cranks; Eccentrics
    • F16C3/02—Shafts; Axles
    • F16C3/026—Shafts made of fibre reinforced resin
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
    • B29C45/14336—Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article
    • B29C45/14344—Moulding in or through a hole in the article, e.g. outsert moulding
    • B29C2045/1436—Moulding in or through a hole in the article, e.g. outsert moulding coating hollow articles having holes passing through the wall
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
    • B29C2045/1486—Details, accessories and auxiliary operations
    • B29C2045/14967—Injecting through an opening of the insert
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2105/00—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped
    • B29K2105/06—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
    • B29K2105/12—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts of short lengths, e.g. chopped filaments, staple fibres or bristles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2705/00—Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
    • B29K2705/02—Aluminium
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2705/00—Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
    • B29K2705/08—Transition metals
    • B29K2705/10—Copper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2705/00—Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
    • B29K2705/08—Transition metals
    • B29K2705/12—Iron
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/748—Machines or parts thereof not otherwise provided for
    • B29L2031/75—Shafts

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a shaft for use in a machine to perform at least one operation.
  • a light weight, low cost, compliant composite shaft assembly having a hollow, tubular, shell like portion with a helical pattern cut through along the axis and containing a hardened, moldable material within its core in communication with at least one molded feature on the outside of the helical pattern which may be at the end of the tubular shell like portion.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 in electrostatographic printing apparatus commonly in use today a photoconductive insulating surface 10 which is typically the surface of a rotatable drum is charged to a uniform potential by a charge corotron 12 and thereafter exposed to a light image of an original document 15 to be reproduced on an exposure platen 16 by means of exposure lamp 17, the exposure discharging the photoconductive insulating surface in exposed or background areas creating an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive insulating surface of the document.
  • a developer unit 20 is which corresponds to the image areas contained within the apparatus and has developer material to developed the electrostatic latent image.
  • the developer material has charged carrier particles and charged toner particles which triboelectrically adhere to the carrier particles and during development, the toner particles are attracted from the carrier particles to the charged areas of the photoconductive insulating surface.
  • the developed image on the photoconductive insulating layer is subsequently transferred at a transfer station 24 to a support surface, such as copy paper 21, which is fed by feeder 22 to provide intimate transfer contact between the insulating area and the copy paper.
  • the toner image on the copy paper is subsequently, permanently affixed on the copy paper by the application of heat and/or pressure in a fuser 23. Subsequent to the transfer of the toner image to the support surface, any residual toner remaining on the photoconductor is cleaned in a cleaner 24 in preparation for the next imaging cycle.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the claim shell nature of this machine having a lower frame member 25 and an upper frame member 26 which has two shafts, 27, 28 in the copy sheet transport system.
  • the electrostatic latent image may be generated from information electronically stored or generated in digital form which afterwards may be converted to alphanumeric images by image generation, electronics and optics.
  • image generation electronics and optics.
  • attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,668 to Malachowski et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,963 to Stemmle et al.
  • shafts are typically used to provide a variety of features performing functions within the machines.
  • shafts typically have gears, rolls, pulleys or other drive mechanisms mounted thereon to enable driving various parts or systems in the machine.
  • the shafts may have retention or location features such as, snaps, fitting elements or stops or may contain other features such as bearings, bushings, rollers, journals and O-rings.
  • the shafts were typically made from solid materials such as, metals like, steel and aluminum, and the individual functional features or elements such as rollers or gears were individually mounted to the shaft and secured thereto. Typically, this assembly process was manually completed as it did not readily lend itself to automated assembly.
  • Typical eccentricities are of the order of four to five-thousands of an inch per 12 inches of shaft length and if both shafts and both rolls have such an eccentricity it is entirely possible that the total runout of the sheet feeder could be as much as twenty-thousands of an inch. In such a feeder it is entirely possible that during the feeding operation one of the rolls in the feeder would lose contact with the paper being fed resulting in skewing of the sheet, mistracking and/or misfeeding. In order to overcome this problem and to keep the rolls in contact forming the sheet feeding nip to reliably feed sheets large, complex, expensive apparatus, including bearings, springs, etc., are typically used. Another example would be that of a fuser roll in an electrostatographic printing machine wherein the ends or centerline may be journaled perfectly but the fusing surface will not be a perfect circle around the circumference or along it's length.
  • the shaft assembly is placed in a V-block fixture wherein the ends of the shaft are journaled on the bearings surface and an indicator having a movable needle to follow the surface is placed on the functional surface such as a feed roll surface or a fuser roll.
  • the functional surface is rotated and the concentricity of different portions of the circumference of the functional feature are observed. The total of what the indicator reads off of 0, the difference between the high and the low points on the indicator and therefore with respect to the concentricity are the runout, on the shaft assembly.
  • a lightweight, low cost, easily manufacturable and assembliable shaft assembly is provided.
  • a shaft assembly which includes an elongated, hollow, tubular member having a core of a hardened, moldable material and having one or more functional features on the outside of the shaft or at least one end made of a hardened, moldable material which is connected to the core material by means of additional hardened, moldable material, said tubular shell like member having a helical pattern cut through from the outside surface to the inside surface in that portion adjacent at least one aperture gate and underneath at least one functional feature to enable said portion to be flexible and deformable when placed under pressure against a surface.
  • the present invention is directed to an elongated member having at least a portion which is a hollow, tubular shell having an inside surface defining a shaft core and an outside surface defining a shaft functional surface, the shaft core being filled with a hardened, moldable material and the shaft functional surface having at least one functional feature thereon, which is of the hardened, moldable material, integrally molded with the hardened, moldable material in the core.
  • the hollow, tubular, shell like portion is generally circular in cross section and is made of a metal such as aluminum, copper, stainless or other steel alloys.
  • the shaft has more than one integrally molded functional feature thereon, each of which may perform a function different from at least one of the other features or the same function as one of the other features.
  • the shaft assembly includes at least one functional feature which is not integrally molded with the hardened material in the shaft core, but which is secured in place on the shaft assembly by hardened, moldable material in a molding gate and the shaft core.
  • the shaft assembly includes an additional operative feature which has been molded onto the surface of at least one functional feature.
  • the shaft assembly is fabricated by placing the hollow, tubular, shell like portion in a mold which has at least one cavity for at least one functional feature to be formed on the outside surface or an end of the shaft and filling the mold with a hardenable, moldable material, flowing it through the shaft core aperture gate and cavity to form the functional feature on the shaft assembly, permitting the hardenable material to harden, following which the shaft assembly is removed from the mold.
  • the functional feature is a cylindrical roll and, in particular, is at least one of a pair of feed nip rolls in a sheet feeder forming a sheet feeding nip.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic representation in cross section of the operational elements of an automatic reproducing machine having several shaft assemblies.
  • FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the upper and lower frame members which may have several shaft assemblies according to the present invention.
  • FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are illustrations of the composite molding shaft process according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a shaft with several functional features integrally molded thereon.
  • FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a shaft having a large plastic frame member integrally molded thereon.
  • FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a shaft illustrating the hollow, tubular, shell like portion to have a splined interior.
  • FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view through a section of the shaft where the molding process has been accomplished twice to place a coated operative surface on the integrally molded functional feature.
  • FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view through a separately fabricated, functional feature mounted on a shaft, but secured thereto in place by hardened, moldable material in the shaft core, molding gate and a securing slot in the separately fabricated feature.
  • FIGS. 9A to 9E are illustrations of hollow shaft assembly techniques according to the prior art.
  • a section of an elongated member 29 has hollow, tubular, shell like portion 30 having an outside surface 32 having a plurality of molding aperture gates 31 formed therein extending along the shaft from the inside surface 42 to the outside surface 32, such as by a laser machining after which the hollow tubing is placed in a mold 35 having cavities 36 and 37 for two functional features therein, illustrated as a pulley 38, and a support 39 for elastomer O-rings 40 to be subsequently added.
  • a helical pattern 28 cut through from the outside surface to the inside surface adjacent the aperture gate which also may be formed by laser machining.
  • the mold 35 is subsequently closed and a hardenable, moldable material injected from nozzle 41 into the mold with the hardenable material flowing through the core 43 defined by the inside surface 42 of the hollow tubing through the molding aperture gates 31 and into the mold cavities 36 and 37 to form the pulley 38 and elastomer O-rings support 39.
  • the hardenable, moldable material is fluid and flows through the core and is in flowing communication with the mold cavity by means of the aperture gates.
  • the composite shaft assembly may then be finished with conventional techniques.
  • additional items as desired may now also be added to the assembly, including an elastomer band 44 and elastomer O-rings 40.
  • this process is in sharp contrast to prior art practices wherein the individual functional features there illustrated as two pulleys 45 were separately added to a shaft assembly and secured in place on both inboard and outboard sides by means of two fasteners 46. Typically, all the steps in this operation would be separately and manually performed.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a shaft assembly 47 having a plurality of different functional features molded thereon, including a pair of drive rolls 48, a grooved support member 51 for the subsequent insertion of three O-rings 50 made according to the practice of the present invention; and a locator roll 55 and a mount 56 which may be molded according to the practice of the above cross referenced copending application for a gear which can be subsequently added.
  • the type of feature that can be added to the shaft assembly is virtually unlimited, being limited only in that they must be capable of being formed during the molding process. The feature of course requires that the manufacturing process be considered during it's design in order to make molding possible and practical.
  • FIG. 4A a sheet feeder is illustrated having 2 pairs of rotatable rolls forming a sheet feeding nip therebetween. Each roll pair has at least one driven roll 76 while the other roll 78 may be an idler roll in contact with the driven roll.
  • the two shaft assemblies 80, 82 may be made according to the practice of the present invention. Alternatively, only one of the shaft assemblies may be made according to the practice of the present invention wherein a helical through cut is made on the tubular hollow shell like member and the feed rolls, for example, are integrally molded thereover to form a feed roll shaft assembly and the idler roll shaft assembly is made according to the invention described in the above referenced copending application.
  • any single shaft assembly may include integrally molded functional features made both according to the practice of the present invention and an additional functional feature made according to the practice of the invention described in the above cross referenced copending application.
  • the cut through helical pattern in tubular member under the integrally molded roll enables the shaft assembly to be flexible, conformable to the other roll and deformable when placed under pressure against a stationary or moving surface. This provides a constant continuous intimate nip between rotating functional surface with the ability of the drive roll to follow and conform to any possible runout that the mating idler roll may have.
  • the shaft assemblies may be stationary or rotatable depending on the specific application.
  • most of the shaft assemblies are typically used to provide drives in document transports and print substrate transports, which may be simple to complex in operation and short to long in transport path distance and are therefore rotatable.
  • they may have specific application in cleaner, fuser, developer and optics housing.
  • the integrally molded features may be drive features such as gears, rolls and pulleys; location features such as snap fittings, holes or stops or other functional features such as bearings, bushings, journals, idlers, O-rings, flanges, frames, etc.
  • the elongated member having at least a portion which is hollow, tubular, and shell like can be of virtually any cross section or made of any suitable material. Typically, it is circular but it may just as well be triangular or rectangular in shape. It may also be a seamless member or a seamed member. It may take the form of a pultrusion or an extrusion, including one or more grooved or geometric support members on the interior of the composite shaft. Suitable material include carbon steel, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, other steel alloys and composite materials or plastic material such as, for example a TEFLON tube (TEFLON is a trademark of E.I. Dupont de Nemours Co.).
  • the elongated member is a metal to supply sufficient rigidity to the shaft assembly.
  • the elongated member is a metal to supply sufficient rigidity to the shaft assembly.
  • the inside diameter or outside diameter of, for example, a cylindrical tube nor on the thickness of the wall it being noted that however, as a practical matter the smaller the internal diameter and longer the shaft the more difficult it is to insure that the flowable plastic will fill the entire shaft core aperture gates and mold cavities. It is to be noted that it is possible to inject plastic from both ends of the shaft or even in the center body part of the shaft.
  • While the helical pattern cut through the tubular shell like member may extend beyond the boundaries, ends or dimensional limits of the functional feature on the hollow tubular shell and indeed may extend the entire length of the shaft it is preferred that it is present only within the dimensional limits of the functional feature. This enables solid sections at the ends or at an appropriate place along the shaft to provide a rigid surface for bearings, pulleys, etc.
  • the hardenable, moldable material may be selected from a wide variety of materials which can be handled in a molding process and provide the characteristics and properties to the functional features including high or low friction, specific electrical properties, lubricity and the like.
  • Typical injection moldable or castable materials include the thermoplastic and thermosetting resins and thermoplastic elastomers which are moldable materials with properties close to rubber which do not require vulcanizing such as SANTOPRENETM.
  • Typical thermoplastic resins include polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, nylons, polycarbonate ABS, as well as certain fluorocarbons, such as TEFLON.
  • Typical thermosetting resins include acrylics, phenolics and polyesters.
  • the moldable material may be used in a filled or unfilled form and may be filled with materials to impart selected properties such as fire retardancy to the functional feature or rest of the shaft assembly. If desired, the moldable material may be formed with the use of a conventional blowing agent as in the the case of, for example, microcellular polyurethane. Further, the moldable material may be filled or unfilled with, for example, up to 30 parts by weight glass fibers per 100 parts by weight resin and may have added other ingredients for selected properties, such as pigments to impart a particular color or other materials for desired properties.
  • the molding aperture gates may be formed in any suitable shape in the hollow, tubular, shell with any suitable process. Typically, they may be drilled, punched, cut, laser machined, formed with a water jet or electrochemical machine and may be in the form of a round hole, shaped aperture slit or other suitable shape. It is important that the holes, gates or ports are sufficiently large and present in sufficient number to enable a flowable material to pass through them from the core into the cavity forming the functional feature on the hollow, tubular shell. In this regard it should be noted that a mold cavity may form a functional feature on an end of the tubular shell.
  • the materials from which the hollow, tubular, shell like member and the hardened material are made such that the coefficient of thermal expansion of the hollow, tubular, shell like portion and the shrink rate of the thermoplastic are such as to provide intimate contact between the hardened thermoplastic and the tubular shell like portion.
  • an integral, external roll feature would preferably have intimate contact with the outside diameter of the shell like portion which may, therefore, in the final analysis contribute to enhanced beam strength.
  • FIG. 5 wherein a shaft assembly 60 is illustrated which includes a large plastic frame or other tubular member 61.
  • one end of the shaft assembly has a small solid portion 62 which may be useful in mounting purposes while the other end has a different portion 63.
  • FIG. 6 a cross section through the hollow, tubular shell 30 which has been formed by extrusion, illustrates a geometric pattern 65 which may provide additional structural integrity to the shaft assembly.
  • the geometric shape is preferably selected to take advantage of the shrink rate of the plastic to compensate for shrinkage throughout the core and thereby enhance the strength of the shaft assembly.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates in cross section a coating 68 formed during a second molding operation on the shaft assembly, wherein the coating such as a molded elastomer is provided on the surface of the first integrally molded feature such as a roll 69.
  • roll 69 was previously formed on the shell like portion 30 by having its core 29 and molding gates 31 filled with hardenable, flowable material according to the practice of the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates in cross section another alternative embodiment of the present invention, wherein a separately fabricated feature such as roll 72, has been placed on the shell like portion 30 and secured thereto by hardened, moldable material in the core 29 which is in communication with roll securing slots or grooves 74 through aperture gates 31 through the shell 30 from the inside surface 42 to the outside surface 32.
  • a new lightweight, low cost shaft assembly has been provided.
  • the manufacturing process facilitates the rapid manufacturability and assembly of a shaft assembly having a plurality of functional features.
  • the helical pattern cut through the tubular hollow shell like member enables the shaft assembly to flex or deform so that an integrally molded functional feature on the functional surface may float or move in synchronization with any mating component.
  • the functional feature is allowed to move and conform to any possible runout with a mating component to provide a continuous intimate nip. This permits rollers, mating shafts or trays to have reduced tolerance requirements.
  • a simple end housing designed to apply a constant load may be used.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Rolls And Other Rotary Bodies (AREA)
  • Shafts, Cranks, Connecting Bars, And Related Bearings (AREA)
  • Injection Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
US08/000,081 1990-12-24 1993-01-04 Composite shaft having integrally molded functional feature and helical grooves Expired - Lifetime US5538475A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/000,081 US5538475A (en) 1990-12-24 1993-01-04 Composite shaft having integrally molded functional feature and helical grooves
MX9307646A MX9307646A (es) 1993-01-04 1993-12-03 Conjunto o montaje de eje y aparato de reproduccion que lo emplea.
BR9400010A BR9400010A (pt) 1993-01-04 1994-01-03 Aparelho que compreende componentes mecânicos capazes de executar pelo menos uma operação que exige o emprego de um conjunto de árvore
DE69409841T DE69409841T2 (de) 1993-01-04 1994-01-04 Zusammengesetzte Welle mit flexiblen Merkmalen
EP94300015A EP0606140B1 (de) 1993-01-04 1994-01-04 Zusammengesetzte Welle mit flexiblen Merkmalen
JP6000034A JPH06238700A (ja) 1993-01-04 1994-01-04 可撓性の特徴をもつ複合シャフト

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/633,562 US5439416A (en) 1990-12-24 1990-12-24 Composite shaft with integrally molded functional feature
US08/000,081 US5538475A (en) 1990-12-24 1993-01-04 Composite shaft having integrally molded functional feature and helical grooves

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US07/633,562 Continuation-In-Part US5439416A (en) 1990-12-24 1990-12-24 Composite shaft with integrally molded functional feature

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US5538475A true US5538475A (en) 1996-07-23

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US08/000,081 Expired - Lifetime US5538475A (en) 1990-12-24 1993-01-04 Composite shaft having integrally molded functional feature and helical grooves

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5538475A (de)
EP (1) EP0606140B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH06238700A (de)
BR (1) BR9400010A (de)
DE (1) DE69409841T2 (de)
MX (1) MX9307646A (de)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5744238A (en) * 1995-10-02 1998-04-28 Xerox Corporation Dimensionally stable sheet handling shaft assembly and method of making same
US5951794A (en) * 1996-12-18 1999-09-14 Aluminum Company Of America Method of forming a drive shaft
US6241619B1 (en) 1999-04-16 2001-06-05 Xerox Corporation Hollow shafts with gas assist molding
US6247346B1 (en) 1996-12-18 2001-06-19 Alcoa Inc. Method of forming a drive shaft
US6426028B1 (en) * 1996-07-10 2002-07-30 Sarnatech Spritzguss Ag Method for injection molding a roller body from thermoplastic materials
US20020128080A1 (en) * 1999-04-16 2002-09-12 Xerox Corporation. Plastic shafts with molded core and external feature
US6467965B1 (en) 2000-09-29 2002-10-22 Xerox Corporation Bearing
US6481915B1 (en) 2000-11-20 2002-11-19 Xerox Corporation Snap fit stud
US20080144983A1 (en) * 2006-12-18 2008-06-19 Xerox Corporation Bearing
CN112440435A (zh) * 2020-11-02 2021-03-05 智龙传动(厦门)科技有限公司 一种减少工件二次注塑时附着部缺料的结构
EP3909889A1 (de) * 2020-05-12 2021-11-17 Afher Eurobelt, S.A. Herstellungsverfahren für ein verstärktes förderband und so erhaltenes produkt

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102011119514B4 (de) * 2011-11-26 2020-11-12 Gm Tec Industries Holding Gmbh Zahnrad mit fest verbundener Antriebswelle

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US1987316A (en) * 1933-09-07 1935-01-08 Zimmer Edward Yieldable drive shaft
US2869339A (en) * 1956-12-07 1959-01-20 Clevite Harris Products Inc Flexible coupling and method of making same
US3390546A (en) * 1966-05-13 1968-07-02 Jewell Hollis Flexible coupling member
US3537275A (en) * 1968-11-13 1970-11-03 Maytag Co Flexible coupling
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US4063429A (en) * 1973-11-07 1977-12-20 Wilson Ernest I Pipeline retard, support and protection method
US4380442A (en) * 1980-03-15 1983-04-19 Firma Carl Freudenberg Flexible coupling
JPS5894619A (ja) * 1981-11-28 1983-06-04 Mikuni Plast Kk 動力伝達用軸体
EP0248567A2 (de) * 1986-05-27 1987-12-09 Johannes Hermanus Britz Schlaghandgerät
EP0492477A2 (de) * 1990-12-24 1992-07-01 Xerox Corporation Verbundwellen

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US2869339A (en) * 1956-12-07 1959-01-20 Clevite Harris Products Inc Flexible coupling and method of making same
US3390546A (en) * 1966-05-13 1968-07-02 Jewell Hollis Flexible coupling member
US3537275A (en) * 1968-11-13 1970-11-03 Maytag Co Flexible coupling
US3553978A (en) * 1969-10-06 1971-01-12 Gen Motors Corp Composite propeller shaft construction and method of making
US3716612A (en) * 1970-01-06 1973-02-13 Dow Chemical Co Method for the formation of composite plastic bodies
US4063429A (en) * 1973-11-07 1977-12-20 Wilson Ernest I Pipeline retard, support and protection method
SU554432A1 (ru) * 1975-05-23 1977-04-15 Предприятие П/Я В-2962 Компенсирующа муфта
US4380442A (en) * 1980-03-15 1983-04-19 Firma Carl Freudenberg Flexible coupling
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Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5744238A (en) * 1995-10-02 1998-04-28 Xerox Corporation Dimensionally stable sheet handling shaft assembly and method of making same
US6729466B2 (en) * 1996-07-10 2004-05-04 Sarnatech Bnl Ltd. Injection molded axis or roller body made by an injection molded thermoplastic materials
US6426028B1 (en) * 1996-07-10 2002-07-30 Sarnatech Spritzguss Ag Method for injection molding a roller body from thermoplastic materials
US20020132713A1 (en) * 1996-07-10 2002-09-19 Stephan Lerch Injection molded axis or roller body made by an injection molded thermoplastic materials
US6247346B1 (en) 1996-12-18 2001-06-19 Alcoa Inc. Method of forming a drive shaft
US5951794A (en) * 1996-12-18 1999-09-14 Aluminum Company Of America Method of forming a drive shaft
US20020128080A1 (en) * 1999-04-16 2002-09-12 Xerox Corporation. Plastic shafts with molded core and external feature
US6517440B2 (en) 1999-04-16 2003-02-11 Xerox Corporation Plastic shafts with molded core and external feature
US6241619B1 (en) 1999-04-16 2001-06-05 Xerox Corporation Hollow shafts with gas assist molding
US6467965B1 (en) 2000-09-29 2002-10-22 Xerox Corporation Bearing
US6530692B2 (en) 2000-09-29 2003-03-11 Xerox Corporation Bearing
US6659680B2 (en) 2000-11-20 2003-12-09 Xerox Corporation Snap fit stud
US6481915B1 (en) 2000-11-20 2002-11-19 Xerox Corporation Snap fit stud
US20080144983A1 (en) * 2006-12-18 2008-06-19 Xerox Corporation Bearing
US7670054B2 (en) 2006-12-18 2010-03-02 Xerox Corporation Bearing
EP3909889A1 (de) * 2020-05-12 2021-11-17 Afher Eurobelt, S.A. Herstellungsverfahren für ein verstärktes förderband und so erhaltenes produkt
CN112440435A (zh) * 2020-11-02 2021-03-05 智龙传动(厦门)科技有限公司 一种减少工件二次注塑时附着部缺料的结构

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0606140A3 (de) 1995-01-18
EP0606140B1 (de) 1998-04-29
DE69409841T2 (de) 1998-10-08
MX9307646A (es) 1995-01-31
EP0606140A2 (de) 1994-07-13
BR9400010A (pt) 1994-07-26
DE69409841D1 (de) 1998-06-04
JPH06238700A (ja) 1994-08-30

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